Electric generating system



Aug. 2, 1949. W. -.(BAER 2,477,714

' ELECTRIC ('SENIIRTINGI SYSTEM Filed Dec. l, 1947 Patented Aug. 2, 1949 ELECTRIC GNERATING 'SYSTEM Walter 0. Baer, Milwaukee, Wit., animar to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application December 1, 1947, Serial No. 789,098

This invention relates to electric generating systems.

The invention relates more particularly to con trollers for electric generating plants of the type including a generator which is driven by an internal combustion engine to supply service mains with current at a relatively high voltage such as 110 volts and an exciter which is coupled to the engine and acts as a motor when supplied with current from a low voltage source such as a stor agebattery to elect cranking of the engine and which also acts when the engine becomes self'- operative to. excite the generator and effect charging of the storage battery.

My prior Patent No. 2,179,680, issued November 14, 1939, discloses a controller for generating plants of the aforesaid type including a control switch which operates to establish a cranking circuit for the exciter when there is a demand for vcurrent on the service mains. This cranking control switch in responding is subjected to control by current conditions in the motoring circuit to provide for opening thereof when the engine becomes self-operative. However, it has been found that where the generating plant is provided with an exciter of relatively high voltage and a battery of relatively 'low voltage, as for example a 24 volt battery and a 48 volt exciter, the cranking' control switch of the aforesaid patsi ent will reclose when 'the engine of the plant becomes self-operative and thereby prevent proper functioning of the plant.

The present invention has among its objects to provide a control system for generating plants control means which overcomes the afore'r'nonu tioned objection.

Another object is to provide an improved oontrol systeln for generating plants of the aforesaid type including simple and effective means for insuring against reclosure of the cranking circuit for the exciter when the plant becomes self-operative.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention 'Will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing diagrammaticaliy illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of modif ocation without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, the same illustrates an electric generating plant including a single phase alternating current generator G for supplylng current to service mains L1, L2, an ex- 3 Claims. (Cl. 290-30) l, il

citer E for said generator and an internal combustio'n engine I for driving said generator and exciter, said engine being provided with the usual magneto 2 and an electromagnetically operated choke 3. Generator G is provided with an armature A and a held winding F and exciter E' is provided with an armature A1, a starting series field winding F1 and a shunt eld winding F2. As illustrated eld winding F of the generator is permanently connected across armature A1 of the exciter and the strength of eld winding F2 of the exciter' is regulated by an adjustable reslstance i'. As hereinafter Set forth, when there is ademend for current on the service mains L1, L2 exciter E is automatically connected to a storage battery B to provide for operation thereof as a motor for cranking of the engine, and when the engine becomes self-operative said exciter ls automatically connected to the storage battery to charge the same. Also as hereinafter set forth 'generator G is normally disconnected from the service mains L1, L2 and is automatically connected thereto when the engine is brought up to substantially normal speed.

The control means for the aforedescribed generating plant includes a load relay 5, a cranking contactor 6, a generator contacter l and a timing switch 8. Load relay 5 is provided with a pickup coil 5' and a holding coil 5b, and the same is also provided 'with normally open contacts 5c and normally closed contacts 5d. Cranking contactor S is provided with an operating coll ii2v and normally open contacts 6b, lic and 6d. Generator contacter 'l is provided with an operating coil l, normally closed contacts 'Ib and liE and normally open contacts 'ld and 1e. 'Timing switch 8 is of a conventional type, the same being normally held in closed position and having a heater 8a associated therewith which operates when energized for a predetermined interval to effect opening thereof.

The operation of the aforedescribed control Ineas and also the circuit connections therefor will now be more fully described. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of translating devices T are connected to service main L1 and each of said translating devices has a switch ID associated therewith for connecting the same to service main L2. 'Upon closure of any one of the switches i!) load relay 5 is energized by a circuit extending from the positive terminal of battery B through timing switch 8 to conductor l l through contacts 1 of generator contacter 1, through load relay coils 5s1 and 5b to line L1 and thence through conductor I I7 through contacts lb of generator'- contactor l, through a rectifier I 2 and a resistance r2 to load relay contacts 5, through cranking contactor coil Ea to conductorV I3 and throughl armature A1 of exciter El to the negative terminal of battery E. Since exciter E is stationary at this time cranking contactor coil 6e is subjected to substantially full battery voltage. For a purpose hereinafter set forth coil 6a is of low resistance and in order to prevent excessive current therein prior to starting of exciter E resistance T2 is temporarily included in the energizing circuit for said coil.

-Upon response of 4cranking contactor 6 a crankf ing circuit for exciter E is established from the positive terminal of battery B by conductor I4 through cranking contactor contacts E511 and 6C, through series field winding F1 of the exciter and in parallel through armature A1 and shunt eld winding F2 of the exciter to the negative terminal of battery B. Also heater coil 8ab of timing switch 8 and the electromagnetic choke 3 are connected across the terminals of battery B by cranking contactor contacts Eb.. Exciter E then acts as a motor to effect cranking of engine l. However, if the engine fails to iire after being cranked' for a predetermined interval, as for example one minute, timing switch 8 responds under the action of its heater coil Sa to interrupt the aforedescribed energizing circuits for load relay 5 and cranking contactor 6 for stopping of exciter E. Relay 6 in responding closes its contacts 6d to shunt rectilier I2 and resistance r2, and the operating coil Se of cranking contactor 6 is then connected directly across the terminals of starting eld winding F1 ofthe exciter by a circuit'extending'from the left hand terminal of said iield winding through cranking contactor contacts l5c and 5b, by conductor I4 through timing switch 8, through generator contactor contacts "Ib, cranking contactor contacts Sd and load relay contactsv 5, t'o and through the operating c'oil'lii to the right hand terminal of said field Winding. The current in cranking contactor 6e is then determined by the voltage drop acrossstarting eld Winding F1 of the exciter. Whenv exciter E is brought up to maximum cranking speed the voltage drop across field winding F1 is usually less than 5% of the battery voltage, and coil 6eV is made of low resistance to prevent dropping out oi cranking contactor 6 at this voltage value. However, upon starting of engine I the voltage across eld winding F1 of the exciter drops to zero but before this point is reached the current in coil 5a drops to a value which permits dropping out of cranking contactor 6. Upon dropping out of cranking-contactor 6 contacts 6b and 6c are opened to interrupt the aforedescribed cranking circuit for exciter E and the energizing circuits for electromagnetic choke 3 and heater coil 81 of timing switch 8 are interrupted by opening of contacts 61. Also, rectifier I2 and resistance R2 are reincluded in the aforedescribed energizing 4 circuit for operating coil 611 of the cranking contactor.

Inclusion of rectiiier I 2 in the energizing circuit of coil 6B insures against reclosure of cranking contactor B after the plant has started to run. Thus assuming that the plant is provided with a 48 volt exciter and a 24 volt battery it is apparent that when the engine begins operating there is a Wide dierence in potential between the battery and the exciter which tends to cause a reversed current flow in the energizing circuit of cranking contactor coil 6e. However, rectier I2 prevents reversal of the current in coil a so that cranking contactor 6 cannot reclose when the plant starts to operate.

It Will be noted that the operating winding IZL of generator contactor 1 is permanently connected across the terminals of armature A1 of exciter E. VAssuming that the system is provided with a 48 volt exciter, operating coil la may be designed to eifect response of generator contactor 'I when the exciter voltage reaches a predetermined high value, as for example 40 volts. Upon response of generator contactor?, cont-acts Ie thereof are closed to connect generator G across service mains L1, L2, and contacts Id thereof are closed to establish a charging circuit from the positive terminal of battery B to the left hand terminal of armature A1 of exciter E, such circuit including the usual charge regulating resistance r3. Also upon response of generator contactor 'I, contacts Ib thereof are opened to interrupt the aforedescribed energizing circuit for cranking contactor coil Se and contacts Ic thereof are opened to include a resistance r4 in the energizing circuit for holding coil 5a of load relay 5. Load relay 5 is then held against return to normal positionl by current from generator' G which passes through the holding coil 5b.

The plant now continues to run to eiect charging of battery B and to supply current to the supply mains L1, L2. However, upon opening of all of the control switches ID the load across the service mains L1, L2 is removed and holding coil 5b of load relay 5'is deenergized to permit said relay to drop out.. .Upon dropping out of load relay 5 lmagneto 2 is grounded by contacts 5d of said relay for'stopping of engine I and operating coil 'Ia isdeenergized for dropping out of generator contactor l. AThe control means is now in condition to provide for restarting of the generating plant when there is demand for current across the service mains L1, L2.

What I'claim as new and desire -to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electric generating system, a generator, service mains to be supplied thereby, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, an exciter for said generator to be driven by said engine and adapted to act as a motor to crank the same, a storage battery, a normally open electromagnetic starting switch for establishing a motoring circuit for said exciter from said storage battery, a relay responsive upon current demand across said service mains to establish an energizing circuit for said starting switch from said battery, said starting switch when closed being ,subjected to control by current conditions in said motoring circuit to provide for opening thereof upon starting of said engine, and a rectifier connected in the energizing circuit ofsaid starting switch to prevent reclosure of the latter upon starting of said engine.l

. -2.;In an electric generating system, a generator, A

service mains to be supplied thereby, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, an exciter for said generator to be driven by said engine and adapted to act as a motor to crank the same, a storage battery, a normally open cranking contactor for establishing a motoring circuit for said exciter from said storage battery, an operating winding for closing said contactor, a relay responsive upon current demand across said service mains to establish an energizing circuit for said operating winding from said battery for closure of said contacter, said operating winding upon closure of said contactor being subjected to control by current conditions in said motoring circuit to provide for opening of said contacter upon starting of said engine and a rectier connected in the energizing circuit of said operating winding to prevent reclosure of said contactor upon starting of said engine, said rectifier permitting passage of current in one direction through said winding during motoring operation of said exciter and preventing passage of current in a reverse direction through said winding during generative operation of said exciter.

3. In an electric generating system, a generator, service mains to be supplied thereby, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, an exciter for said generator to be driven by said engine and adapted to act as a motor to crank the same, said exciter being provided with a starting field winding, a storage battery', a normally open cranking contacter for establishing a motoring circuit for said exciter from said storage battery, including said Held winding, an operating Winding of low resistance for closing said contacter, a relay responsive upon current demand across said service mains to establish an energizing circuit for said operating winding from said battery for closure of said contacter, said operating winding upon closure of said contactor being connected in shunt with said eld Winding to provide for opening of said contactor upon starting of said engine, a rectifier normally connected in the energizing circuit of said operating winding to prevent reclosure of said contactor upon starting of said engine, said rectifier permitting passage of current in one direction through said winding during motoring operation of said exciter and preventing passage of current in a reverse direction through said winding during generative operation of said exciter, and means for excluding said rectifier from the energizing circuit of said Winding upon closure of said contactor.

WALTER O. BAER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are or" record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,447,480 Matthews Mar. 6, 1923 1,704,996 Witzel Mar. 12, 192 1,773,913 Loehr et al Aug. 26, 1930 1,842,509 Dickey Jan. 26, 1932 1,869,846 Frank Ang. 2, 1932 2,033,364 Wertz Mar. 10, 1936 2,071,826 Frank Feb` 23, 1937 2,078,980 Sola May 4, 1937 2,085,072 Bobe June 29, 1937 2,179,680 Baer et al Nov. 14, 1939 2,384,135 Scherry Sept. 4, 1945 

